Cranking device.



S. L. WILLIAMS.

GRANKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1913.

1,098,541 Patented June 2, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

64W C W,

S. L. WILLIAMS.

ORANKING DEVICE.

APPLIHATION FILED SEPT. 22. 1013. 1,098,541 Patented June 2,1914.

2 SHEETS--SHBLT 2 clear, and comprehensive specification, be-

SELBY L. WILL]' AMS, 0F RICEMOND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ABIATHAB 1. WAY, or mcrrmonn, INDiANA.

CRANKING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2, 1914;.

Application filed September 22, 1913. Serial No. 790,980.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SELBY L. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Construction in Cranking Devices, of which the following is a full,

ing such as will enable others to construct and. operate the same with exactitude.

My construction is intended, more particularly, to be employed in connection with starting automobile motors, however it may be employed for other purposes and for various kinds of vapor motors.

. The objectof my invention, broadly speaking, is to provide a self contained cranking device which will be strong and durable in construction, neat and attractive in appearance, comparatively light in weight, positive in action, and which can be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low price. More specifically" stated, my object is to provide a cranking device to be employed between the engine shaft and the crank o automobiles or the like whereby it will be practically impossi le for the motor when impart in ury to the kicking or backfiring to operator, the cranking device being positive when the engine shaft is turned in the proper direction but which immediately releases when the engine shaft is moved in the opposite or reverse direction.

Other minor objects and particular advantages of my invention, and other adapt-ations thereof, will suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic in the course of the following specification.

The preferred means for carrying out the objects of my invention in a practical manner is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a'perspective view of the for ward lower portion of an automobile showing my invention in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is an interior plan view of my inventionshowing the mov ble parts in operative position ready to be engaged with the engine shaft of the motor. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken through the interior mechanism, showing the parts in their normal or inoperative positions. Fig. 4 is a& longitudinal section of the interior mechanism, showing the parts engaged with eachfl Letter A denotes tegral with other and ready to be engaged with the engine shaft. Fig. 5 is a detail cross section, as taken on line 56 of Fig. 4 and taken in the direction indicated by the arrow near numeral 5 on said line. Fig. 6 is a detail cross section as taken on line 5- 6 of Fig. 4, and taken in the direction indicated by the arrow near numeral 6 on said line. Fig. 7 is an isometrical face view of the head of the positive or driving member of the clutch, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the head shown in Fig. 7 but with the engaging fin gers' in connection therewith. j

Similar indices denote like parts throughout the several views of the two sheets of drawings.

In order that the construction and the operation of my invention may be more clearly understood and appreciated I will now take up a detailed description thereof in,which I will set forth the several features thereof as clearly and as comprehensively as I may.

' Referring now to the drawings in detail: the radiator or forward end of an automobile.

Letters B denotes the engine. C denotes the forward end of the engineshaft of the motor.

D denotes the ordinary crank for starting the motor.

Connected-to the forward portion of the automobile, in this instance to the lower edge of the radiator, is the case which is divided into two substantially equal portions, as the upper portion 1 and the lower portion 2, which together form a round case in which the assembled mechanism of my invention is contained. Projecting into the forward end of said case is the cranking shaft 3; and extending into the rear end of the case is-the intermediate shaft 4. The engine shaft C, the intermediate shaft 4, and the cranking shaft 3 are arranged in alinement with each other, but when the device is in normal position they are all disconnected from each other. Formed inthe rear end'of shaft 3, concentric therewith and located inside the case, is the head 7. Formed centrally across in the rear face of the head 7 is the bifurcated channel 8, shown most clearly in Fig. 7. Surrounding the periphery of the head '7 l is a' thin band 5 which'closes the ends of the channel 8 and prevents the rod' 11 from moving endwise. Slidably mounted in channel blocks 11 which extends the head 7, the head 7. I tween said blocks is the helical spring 12 which normally retains said blocks resiliently apart, as shown in Fig. 8. Formed integral with the blocks 9 and 10 and extending rearward tive other, and they are formed half-round in cross section,

center of said shaft 4, concentric with said flange, is the stub 16 which is formed square in cross section, as shown in Fig. 5, said shaft 4, the flange integral. with each other.

is located.

Numeral 17 denotes a ring adapted to surround the fingers 13 and 14, its diameter being substantially the same as that of the head 7, and an aperture 18 is formed through the central portion of the ring and in an axial direction. The contour of said aperture 18 is elliptical, the two halves (formed by the minor diameter)-being off set with relation to each other, therebv forming the two shoulders a and a.' The shape of said aperture is that of two overlapping circles with their centers out of alinement with each other, and with the shoulders formed parallel with each other. Of same diameter as the ring 17 is the spool 19, and the two are connected together by the splines 40 and 40', thespool contacting with the rear face of the ring 17. The spool 19 fits around the flange 15 and also around the shaft 4 in the rear of flange 15. Extending back from the spool 19 and also fitting around the shaft 4, is the flange 20. Surrounding the shaft 4, immediately in the rear of the flange 20, is the collar 21 which is adapted to be secured to the shaft 4 by the set-screw 22, said collar 21 being adapted to retain the spool 19 in movable contact with the flange 15.

Numeral 23 denotes a boxing, the same extends around covering the peripheries of the spool 19 and the ring 17 to which it is connected by the splines '40 and 40, and it extends forward inclosing the head 7 and fits around the shaft 3 immediately forward of said head 7. Formed around on the riphery of boxing .23, eoverin the ma or portion thereof, are the rate et-teeth 24,

8 are the two blocks 9 and 10 which are movable at right-angles to the shaft 3. Said are both loosely mounted on the rod parallel with the face of said rod 11 being carried by Surrounding the rod 11 betherefrom are the respecfingers 13 and 14, same being parallel with and of same size with relation to each their flat faces being located toward each other. Around the forward end of the intermediate shaft 4 is formed a flange '15 which is of greater diameter than shaft 4; and extending forward from the 15, and the stub 16, being The length of the stub 16 is substantially the same as that of the fingers 13 and 14, between which it same extend in an axial direction and they are formed integral with the boxing 23. Formed integral with member 2 of the case is the hollow pocket 25 in which is radially mounted the plunger 26. The inner end of said plunger is beveled whereby it will engage with the teeth 24 when the boxing 23 1s revolved in one direction and will slide thereover when'the boxing is revolved in the other direction. Secured around said plunger and fitting the interior of pocket 25 is the plate 27. Closing the outer end of the pocket 26 is the plug 28. Surrounding the plunger against the plate 27 and the the coil spring 29 by which the inner end of the plunger is retained resiliently in contact with the teeth or ratchet 24. Formed integral with the forward portion. of member 2 is the pocket 30 in which is mounted the radially operable plunger 31. A plug 32 closes the outer end of pocket 30. A plate 33 is secured around the plunger 31' and it fits the interior of said pocket and acts as a guide for the plunger, and it also prevents the'plunger from projecting inward to too great a distance. A coil spring 34 surrounds the plunger 31 and it is seated against the plug 32 and the plate 33, and it is adapted to retain the plunger 31 resiliently inward to its limit of movement. It willbe noticed that the" forward end of boxing 23 is rounded and in said rounded portion, that is at the junction of the side and the end walls of the boxing, a socket 35 is formed in which the inner end of the plunger 31 is adapted to engage when the boxing 23 is moved out ward, that is to its normal position. Secured around shaft 3 is a collar 36 which is adjustably secured to said shaft by the setscrew 37, and encircling said shaft and seated between the collar 36 and the end of the member 2, is the coil spring 38, which is adapted to moveshaft 3 forward to its limit of movement when it is released from the operator.

The operation of the invention is sub: stantially as follows: In normal or inoperative position the several parts will be located as in Figs. 1 and 3, at which time the fingers 13 and 14 will he s aced apart to their limits whereby the stuli 16 might revolve therebetween and independent thereof. Desiring now to engage the device for cranking the motor the operator will first give the crank D a quarter turn to the right, during this movement the ring 17, the spool 19, and the boxing 23 will remain stationary, as theywill be held by the plunger 31 which is insefted in socket 35, therefore by said move ment the fingers 13 and 14 will turn within the aperture 18 and be brought to the position shown in Fig. 5, thereby wedgin them against two opposite sides of the stu plug 28 is III 16, and thereby coupling the shaft 4 to the shaft 3. The operator will next press backward or inward, on the crank, thereby moving the interior mechanism to the position shown in Fl 2, by which the socket 35 will be moved out of en agement with the plunger 31, thereby leavmg the boxing 23 and the shaft 4 free to revolve to the right with shaft The last mentioned movement will also cause the shaft 4 to move rearward thereby causing it to engage with the engine shaft C in the usual manner. The next operation will be for the operator to turn the crank to the right in the usual manner, which of course will eventuate in turning the engine shaft C to start the motor. In this last operation it is evident that the ratchet-teeth 24 will be revolved, at which time the plunger 26 will travel ratchet-like over said teeth 24. If, during this last movement, the engine shaft slttltlltl kick back or turn reversely by the power of the motor, it is evident that the lunger :26 will en age one of the teeth 24. thereby preventing the boxing 23 and the ring 17 front turning reversely. and thereby unseating or releasing the fingers 13 and 14 from engagement with the stub It). Now after the motor is started and the crank released the shaft 3 will be forced forward to its normal position by the spring :38, which will cause the rounded end of the boxing 23 to engage the plunger 31, and then if at that time the socket 35 is not in position for the plunger to enter it, it is evident that at least one revolution of the crank will cause the plunger 31 to engage in said socket I desire that it be understood that various changes may be made in the size and in the proportions of the parts. and that moditieations may be tnade in the several details. without departing from the spirit of my invention and without sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having now fully shown and described my invention, what. I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States. is

1. in a cranking device, the combination with an engine shaft, an intermediate shaft adapted to be coupled to the engine shaft, a crankin r shaft. movable fingers carried by the cranking shaft, a ring having an elli tical offset aperture carried by but adaptet to revolve independent of the intermediate shaft. a boxing surrounding said fingers and ring. means for locking the boxing from rotation. means whereby the boxing may be rotated unitarily with the cranking shaft and the intermediate shaft, and means for preventing said boxing from rotating reversely and at the same time disconnecting the cranking shaft from the intermediate shaft, all substantiall' as shown and described.

2. In a cranking device, the combination with an engine shaft, an intermediate shaft, a square stub formed on the forward end of the intermediate shaft, :1 cranking shaft, the said engine shaft, the intermediate shaft, and the cranking shaft being arranget'l longitudinally in alinement with each other, radially movable fingers carried by the cranking shaft, a ring having an elliptical offset aperture therethrough and carried by but adapted to revolve independent of the intermediate shaft, a boxing surrounding said fingers and ri idly connected to said ring. means for locking the boxing and ring from rotation but adapted to allow the boxing and the ring to be released to rotate with the cranking shaft and the intermediate shaft, and a ratchet to prevent said boxin and ring from revolving reversely. all substantially as shown and described.

3. A cranking device including a driving or crank shaft, a driven shaft having a square stab in alinement with and directed toward the opposin end of the driving shaft, a head carriediv the inner end of the driving shaft and having a slot formed across in its face, a pair of blocks slidably mounted in said slot, resilient means for normallv pressing said blocks apart, a fin er extendin back from each of said blo ks toward tie driven shaft, a ring having an elliptical aperture therethrough to receive said fingers with said square stub therebetween, means for holding said ring during the time the driving shat is being turned to wedge said fingers in contact with said stub, means whereby said ring, the drivin shaft, and tlte driven shaft may be releaset to revolve together as a unit, and means whereby the drivmg shaft will be. released from the driven shaft when the driven shaft is rotated in a reverse direction with relation to that of the driving shaft, all substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SELBY L. WILLI'A i\l S.

\Vitnesses Aunvrnaa L. Mr. R. E. RANnLn.

Copies of thtl patent may be obtained for the cent: each, by addreutng the Commtutoner of Patents, Washington, D. 0."

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